


Requiem

by saisei



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Birthday, Canonical Character Death, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-08-30
Packaged: 2020-09-30 14:49:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20448896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saisei/pseuds/saisei
Summary: Noct's first birthday after the Dawn. (canon 'verse)





	Requiem

Ignis stood stiffly through the short ceremony, and when it was done and the crowd had drifted away, Prompto led him up to the grave. He knelt stiffly to feel for the stone, trailing his fingers over the name carved there, and placed the flowers he'd brought beneath. Officially, mourners were asked not to make offerings, but Ignis... Ignis had a right that they didn't.

He stayed kneeling, head bent, and Prompto put a hand on his shoulder, trying to anchor him with touch.

"You can cry if you want," he said. "No one's watching, they've all moved on to the buffet." Gladio was there, with Iris, greeting mourners and accepting condolences on behalf of the Crownsguard and the interim government. Creating a distraction, so Ignis and Prompto could stay here.

Ignis laughed, short and weary. "I haven't cried yet. I'm afraid. If I started, could I stop?"

Prompto's heart squeezed in his chest. "I guess... he'd want you to be happy. Like, if he could see you, he wouldn't worry if he knew you were making the most of things. Enjoying the blue sky and the sun and the flowers and stuff. He probably... doesn't want you to be sad all the time."

"Yes, well." Ignis stood as if he'd been crouching for hours and all his muscles had frozen up. Prompto let his hand slide down to the small of his back but kept the connection. "He's not here, so he doesn't get a say in that, now does he."

_Shit_. "Guess not." Prompto took a breath and looked over at the crowd and the food set up on rented folding tables. "You want to grab some of his birthday cake anyway?"

Ignis shook his head.

"Then let's blow this place. Come on, we'll go down the hill to the cove, it's gorgeous."

"Can he really see the ocean from here?" Ignis asked. The words came out plaintive and needy, but like he couldn't keep himself from asking. He was looking out to where he must know the sea was – even Prompto could hear the waves – with his mouth slightly open, like he was trying to breathe through something huge and terrible.

"Yeah," Prompto said, and pulled him in to bump hips. "Yeah, he can, and it's gorgeous. It goes on forever and is choc-a-block full of fish."

"Not quite forever," Ignis corrected: "Not that far," but he let himself be steered away from the graveside and along to the sandy path, back straight, still not crying.


End file.
